SB 10.14.11

SB 10.14.11

Devanagari

क्‍वाहं तमोमहदहंखचराग्निवार्भू- संवेष्टिताण्डघटसप्तवितस्तिकाय: । क्‍वेद‍ृग्विधाविगणिताण्डपराणुचर्या- वाताध्वरोमविवरस्य च ते महित्वम् ॥ ११ ॥

Verse text

kvāhaṁ tamo-mahad-ahaṁ-kha-carāgni-vār-bhū- saṁveṣṭitāṇḍa-ghaṭa-sapta-vitasti-kāyaḥ kvedṛg-vidhāvigaṇitāṇḍa-parāṇu-caryā- vātādhva-roma-vivarasya ca te mahitvam

Synonyms

kva where ; aham I ; tamaḥ the material nature ; mahat the total material energy ; aham false ego ; kha ether ; cara air ; agni fire ; vāḥ water ; bhū earth ; saṁveṣṭita surrounded by ; aṇḍa ghaṭa — a potlike universe ; sapta vitasti — seven spans ; kāyaḥ body ; kva where ; īdṛk such ; vidhā like ; avigaṇita unlimited ; aṇḍa universes ; para aṇu — like the atomic dust ; caryā moving ; vāta adhva — airholes ; roma of hair on the body ; vivarasya of the holes ; ca also ; te Your ; mahitvam greatness .

Translation

What am I, a small creature measuring seven spans of my own hand? I am enclosed in a potlike universe composed of material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, water and earth. And what is Your glory? Unlimited universes pass through the pores of Your body just as particles of dust pass through the openings of a screened window.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

What am I, a small creature measuring seven spans of my own hand? I am enclosed in a potlike universe composed of material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, water and earth. And what is Your glory? Unlimited universes pass through the pores of Your body just as particles of dust pass through the openings of a screened window. KB 10.14.11 Lord Brahmā realized his actual position. He is certainly the supreme teacher of this universe, in charge of the production of material nature, consisting of the complete material energy, false ego, sky, air, fire, water and earth. Such a universe may be gigantic, but it can be measured, just as we measure our body as seven spans. Generally everyone’s personal bodily measurement is calculated to be seven spans of his hand. This particular universe may appear as a very gigantic body, but it is nothing but the measurement of seven spans for Lord Brahmā. Aside from this universe, there are unlimited other universes which are outside the jurisdiction of this particular Lord Brahmā. Just as innumerable infinitesimal, atomic fragments pass through the holes of a screened window, so millions and trillions of universes in their seedling form are coming out from the bodily pores of Mahā-Viṣṇu, and that Mahā-Viṣṇu is but a part of a part of the plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Under these circumstances, although Lord Brahmā is the supreme creature within this universe, what is his importance in the presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa?

Purport

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Chapter Five, text 72, Śrīla Prabhupāda gives the following purport for this verse: “Then Lord Brahmā, after having stolen all Kṛṣṇa’s calves and cowherd boys, returned and saw that the calves and boys were still roaming with Kṛṣṇa, he offered this prayer in his defeat. A conditioned soul, even one so great as Brahmā, who manages the affairs of the entire universe, cannot compare to the Personality of Godhead, for He can produce numberless universes simply by the spiritual rays emanating from the pores of His body. Material scientists should take lessons from the utterances of Śrī Brahmā regarding our insignificance in comparison with God. In these prayers of Brahmā there is much to learn for those who are falsely puffed up by the accumulation of power.” In Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter Fourteen, Śrīla Prabhupāda further comments on this verse: “Lord Brahmā realized his actual position. He is certainly the supreme teacher of this universe, in charge of the production of material nature, consisting of the complete material energy, false ego, sky, air, fire, water and earth. Such a universe may be gigantic, but it can be measured, just as we measure our body as seven spans. Generally, everyone’s personal bodily measurement is calculated to be seven spans of his hand. This particular universe may appear to be a very gigantic body, but it is nothing but the measurement of seven spans for Lord Brahmā. “Aside from this universe, there are unlimited other universes outside the jurisdiction of this particular Lord Brahmā. Just as innumerable atomic infinitesimal fragments pass through the holes of a screened window, so millions and trillions of universes in their seedling form are coming out from the bodily pores of Mahā-Viṣṇu, and that Mahā-Viṣṇu is but a part of the plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Under these circumstances, although Lord Brahmā is the supreme creature within this universe, what is his importance in the presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa?”

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

"Though you create the universe, you are not proud of that. In comparison to that, what powers do I have to be proud of ? You have as your body of the universe surrounded by prakrti ( tamas), mahat tattva, ahankara (aham), ether (kham), air and fire (cara), water (vah) and earth (bhuh), within which are situated all the planets from patala to satya loka. In that expanse, where am I, being only three hands tall? And within the pores of your skin countless universes are moving like particles of air moving through the hole of a window screen. Who can measure that greatness? Here Brahma equates mahavisnu as creator of mahat tattva with Krsna, and shows that in comparison to Krsna, he is like a small bird in comparison to Garuda.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

“I am insignificant. I cannot make you, such a great person, forgive me since I am very different from you, who pervade the spiritual and material realms as Vāsudeva, though I am lord of the material world.” He praises Kṛṣṇa as Mahā-viṣṇu in order to say this. The universe is compared to a pot because in a short time it will be destroyed. Brahmā, just seven hands high, is an insignificant person. Mahā-viṣṇu is nine hands in height. The universes pass through his pores, coming out or going in when he creates or destroys the universes (īdṛk-vidhā). The pores are very small and limiting, but in them all the universe reside. Yasyāyutāyutāṁśāṁśe viṣṇu-śaktir iyaṁ sthitā: the śakti of Viṣṇu is situated in a ten millionth portion of a portion of Viṣṇu. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa) This is your glory (mahitvaṁ). Therefore you should show mercy to me.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

“How can I whom am so insignificant forgive you who are so great?” The universe is like a pot, insignificant compared to the Lord’s glory. What is your greatness! Therefore you should forgive me.